O Canada! I love exploring big cities. I had Toronto on my list for a while. Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the center of business, finance, arts, and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world.
We opted to do the City Pass, it is a great way to see many of the top sights with a slight discount by buying them together. City Pass is a great deal, visit 5 attractions for US$71.70. Even only having time to see 4 attractions it was still cheaper to do the pass than pay at the door.
Ripley’s Aquarium was our first stop.
The Toronto Aquarium did not disappoint. It is a smaller establishment but the immersive walk through exhibit was amazing. There are over 20,000 aquatic animals and multiple tanks in different rooms to explore. I would recommend 1 to 2 hours to appreciate all there is to see.
CN Tower
This experience has a great perk with the City Pass, skipping the main line! Lines can get long here, it is a popular attraction. The CN Tower held the record for the world's tallest free-standing structure for 32 years until 2007 when it was surpassed. You can view Downtown on the way up in the 58 second elevator ride to the top and then explore on the observation deck.
Casa Loma
Casa Loma made me think of Downton Abbey. This castle is stunning! It is unreal how large the grounds are and it became so apparent when wandering the tunnels under the castle. The rooms are beautifully decorated and learning about the family that lived there brought it all together perfectly.
ROM
History buffs rejoice! Royal Ontario Museum includes many world culture galleries, with collections including Asian art, Egyptian mummies and African jewelry. This is another attraction where you can skip the main line with the city pass. There are multiple floors, grab a map to help navigate and if you can try to plan your visit around the schedule of the free tours. It is so helpful to have someone explaining what you are looking at without having to read all the captions.
Toronto Bike Tours
I have said it before, bike tours are the best way to see a city. I found Toronto Bike Tours. You can schedule a four hour block, either in the afternoon or morning. We opted for the 9am time slot. They also offer two variations, downtown or the islands. I knew I wanted to explore the downtown, since it was massive! I was also hoping to catch some street art along the way. Our guide Genny was amazing! Not only was she so knowledgeable but she asked us lots of questions to make sure we got the most out of our bike ride. A major bonus for us, Genny had a digital camera and took so many photos! We got a link a couple days later and that was awesome!
Shoes!
Bata Shoe Museum was by far my favorite museum to explore! This is a true hidden gem. You do not hear a lot about it, but it wasn’t too far from the Royal Ontario Museum so I figured it was worth the walk over. The Bata Shoe Museum celebrates the style, development and function of footwear across four impressive galleries, with displays ranging from Chinese bound-foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut-crushing clogs and glamorous platforms. Over 4,500 years of history are reflected in the permanent exhibition, All About Shoes while the three other galleries feature changing exhibitions – so there’s always something new to see. Sonja Bata was a business woman with the style and flair of a real life Carrie Bradshaw!
Another favorite of mine is exploring street art! I was really surprised there is such a huge street art scene in Downtown Toronto. The most famous part is Graffiti Alley. Literally multiple streets of back alleys that have some of the coolest art! It’s not glamorous back there but it is such raw and real talent it is 100% worth exploring. In the warmer months, there is a free tour (just make sure to tip the tour guide). They take you mural to mural and give valuable tidbits on the artists, the history and the technique.
There is plenty to do in the core of Downtown Toronto! Depending on the season you can also catch a basketball game, a baseball game or even a hockey game! I also found the transportation system very easy to use! They have the subway, street cars and buses. The nice part is they all take the same tokens just keep in mind you have to buy 3 tokens at a time so plan your trips accordingly. Another perk is depending on weather, the area can be easily walkable! Let me know your favorites in the comments!
